Court: "Concerns of Evidence Destruction"
Initially Denied Drunk Driving, Later Admitted
Refused to Submit iPhone Password
Police Investigation 'Favoritism Controversy'... Late Attendance and Refusal to Go Home
Agency CEO and Director Also Detained
Trot singer Kim Ho-jung, who is accused of drunk driving and hit-and-run, has been arrested. This comes fifteen days after the accident and five days after he admitted to drunk driving.
Trot singer Kim Ho-jung is attending the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 24th. [Photo by Jo Yong-jun]
On the 24th, Shin Young-hee, the presiding judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, held a pre-arrest detention hearing for Kim in the afternoon and issued an arrest warrant citing "concerns over evidence tampering." Kim refused to voluntarily submit his mobile phones, resulting in the police confiscating three iPhones, but he has not provided the passwords. When Judge Shin questioned him about this, Kim reportedly replied, "I cannot provide the passwords because they contain private information."
During the warrant hearing, Judge Shin mentioned that Kim had called his youngest manager several times immediately after the accident, asking him to falsely confess on his behalf. She reportedly reprimanded him, saying, "They are all the same person, but is it acceptable for a powerless, socially inexperienced youngest manager to be punished for Kim Ho-jung?" At the time, the youngest manager refused Kim's request, saying he was scared, and Kim's manager personally went to the police to make a false confession.
Trot singer Kim Ho-jung is leaving the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 24th and heading toward the transport vehicle. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Kim is accused of causing an accident around 11:40 p.m. on the 9th in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, where he collided with a taxi on the opposite side of the road and fled the scene (charges include dangerous driving causing injury and hit-and-run under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes). The police secured CCTV footage showing Kim staggering as he left his home in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, about 10 minutes before the accident and getting into his car. They also obtained statements from employees of a nightlife establishment and drinking companions indicating that Kim drank about three bottles of soju alone.
When Kim appeared at the Gangnam Police Station on the 21st, he avoided reporters waiting at the photo line by entering the building through the underground parking lot. During this process, a scuffle broke out as the police blocked reporters. After the investigation, Kim refused to leave for about six hours, saying, "I do not want to stand in front of the press." At that time, there was controversy over alleged preferential treatment by the police for Kim's convenience.
Even after admitting to drunk driving, Kim faced a wave of criticism for going ahead with performances. On the 23rd, the day after the arrest warrant was requested, Kim performed at the "Super Classic" concert held at Seoul Olympic Park. Kim's side requested a postponement of the warrant hearing, but the court rejected it, resulting in the cancellation of his performance on the second day.
An arrest warrant was also issued for Lee Kwang-deuk, CEO of Saenggak Entertainment, and Jeon Mo, the head of the headquarters. Lee is accused of instructing Kim's manager to make a false confession after the accident (obstruction of justice), and Jeon is accused of removing the memory card from Kim's car black box (evidence tampering, etc.). During the police investigation, Lee claimed that he was the one who instructed the manager to make a false confession, and that the removal of the memory card was the personal decision of the head of the headquarters. Jeon reportedly testified that he swallowed the memory card himself.
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